When a suspicious gas leak blows up his favorite doughnut shop, a retired American expat bumbles into a mystery in Mexico. He follows money flowing down from the States, cocoa beans going north, and finds some tasty foodie hangouts to help him start his days on the prowl.OAXACA CHOCOLATE is a cross-border mystery, a travel guide, an expat's struggle with multinational takeovers in a corrupt state, a scammer's lament, and a taste of the comida and mezcal in Mexico's most beautiful colonial city located high in its scenic, southern mountains. the perfect book for a Mexico visit to meet its gracious people and to explore warm-sun living with a helping of crime on the side. Kirkus Reviews chose OAXACA CHOCOLATE to be featured as one of Kirkus' Indie Books of the Month."The city of Oaxaca, lively, dark and under threat, plays a starring role in this satisfying mystery." -- Kirkus Reviews"Kerns' second Santo Gordo mystery is even tastier than the first. It's a cup that runs over with Oaxaca's unique local color--I don't know anyone who captures the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of Oaxaca more vividly or insightfully than Kerns. Santo Gordo, gourmand, local hero and reluctant detective, is a shrewd observer of this exotic locale and its cast of characters." Robert Adler, co-author of the best-selling Oaxaca guidebook, Viva Oaxaca. Don't forget the other Santo Gordo mysteries--Santo Gordo: a Killing in Oaxaca and Restaurante Oaxaca.
Charles Kerns writes mysteries about Oaxaca. Sometimes his characters end up in Mexico City and California, as well. Kerns loves the land, architecture, peoples, foods, music, and style of life in Oaxaca. He writes to celebrate and explore, and show how the US is slipping down below the beltline of Mexico into this city-Starbuck's, Walmart, cable TV, the internet and all the products of post-modern world impinge on the lives of the poor, the newly growing middle class, and the rich. Some changes help, some lead to yet more corruption and crime, and some destroy the communal ways and rich family culture. Kerns lives in Oaxaca and Oakland, CA. He retired after 30 years as technical educator at Stanford University and Apple Computer. He is married to Roshni Rustomji-Kerns. He believes God provides churros and chocolate in heaven.
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